Poll: Is Harry the best character on Spooks?

Tea Lady · 02-08-2010, 04:44 PM

(02-08-2010 04:15 PM)Silktie Wrote: Here's a question for you all - do you think Harry is a completely different person away from the office? I'm asking because of how he was portrayed with his dog at home; he seemed much gentler. It was even a little evident during his meeting with Adam at the dog track, and then again with little Wes.

I think he must be more his real self away from the office. This is probably the same for most people though, especially if you are a boss/manager. Dog racing is really a working class sport but Harry seems to be a keen follower. His expensive suits and well spoken manner, does not fit with watching the dogs, eating "food" out of a polystyrene cup, and getting excited about winning £20! Which of these two lives makes him the happiest though? Perhaps he needs them both to survive. I noticed though that even when Harry was at home he was still wearing a long sleeved collared shirt and chinos. The rest of us would probably just have stayed in our PJ's or put a pair of jeans and t-shirt on. Perhaps Harry has got used to some of the finer things in life.

**A Cousin** · (This post was last modified: 02-08-2010 05:00 PM by A Cousin.)

In watching 4.9. the first time, one of the things I remember the most was how relaxed and different he was once he was kicked off the grid and not required to be a pugilist for the state. He was still doing spooky things though - running his own personal operation. I think that is what allowed him to let Ruth in a just a teensy bit more. His reaction to her sending food, calling her "Sweet" is a word I would not have expected to hear from him on the grid.

**picard1109** · 02-08-2010, 09:00 PM

It'd be good to see more of Harry outside of work, actually - we get to see the others but not much of Harry. 4.9 was terrific, in that we did get to see where he lived and his love for his dog. I suspect he doesn't own a pair of jeans, though - more a polo shirt, chinos and deck shoes kind of guy, methinks.

And he listens to Led Zeppelin, not just ruddy opera, which is a good sign!!

**A Cousin** · 03-08-2010, 04:34 PM

(02-08-2010 09:00 PM)picard1109 Wrote: And he listens to Led Zeppelin, not just ruddy opera, which is a good sign!!

I got a huge kick out Harry appreciation of Led Zepplin! I have always wanted to see a Harry fan vid to Whole Lotta Love. One of these days, I will figure out how to make it. It isn't hard, just time consuming....

**Silktie** · 09-08-2010, 04:26 PM

I'm wondering about something from 4.10: When Adam and Ruth confront Harry with all their evidence that the Contingents Events Committee did exist, he continues to pretend that they did in fact kill Diana until Adam and Ruth figure out for themselves that it isn't true. Why did he do that? Was it just to mess with them a little, for fun, or was he trying to gauge whether they really think him capable of doing something like that, and how far they'd be willing to go to bring him to book for it?

lwhite53 · 09-08-2010, 05:07 PM

My thought when watching was that Harry was acknowledging his membership in the CEC as a way to give Angela what she wanted and to end the lockdown. If you listen carefully, Harry never says that MI5 and MI6 killed PD -- he agrees that they "planned" her death. I'm guessing that H decided it was better for the existence of the CEC to become known than for Angela to carry out her bomb threat. I don't think he was testing Ruth and Adam but, instead, was trying to find a way out of the situation with no casualties.

**Silktie** · 09-08-2010, 05:33 PM

I don't think I expressed myself clearly in my earlier post. I'm wondering why he didn't come straight out and tell Adam and Ruth exactly what the CEC's brief was as soon as they confronted him with their evidence. Instead, he continues to let them think that its brief was to kill Diana, and not to plan for worst case scenarios. Why didn't he just tell them immediately what the CEC did, and spare them the agony of thinking it really was there to plan Diana's death? Knowing Harry's sense of humour, it could be his idea of a joke, or was he trying to see how they would react to the thought that he really did plan Diana's death?

lwhite53 · 09-08-2010, 05:43 PM

Ah, now I see what you're asking. I think not telling them probably is his idea of a (macabre) joke but that he's also trying to get into their heads and see what he can get them to believe. Adam doesn't buy it for a minute but Ruth is more inclined to take her circumstantial evidence as hard truth.

**Silktie** · 29-08-2010, 12:18 PM

I said in the 5.3 episode thread that I see Harry as a closet romantic. I'm interested to know whether other people think that as well, or am I misguided?

Tea Lady · 29-08-2010, 12:41 PM

(29-08-2010 12:18 PM)Silktie Wrote: I said in the 5.3 episode thread that I see Harry as a closet romantic. I'm interested to know whether other people think that as well, or am I misguided?

I am not sure about this. I would like to think he is, but I don't think we have enough evidence. Maybe all of us have it in us to be one, but it takes someone special to bring that out. I may have this wrong but didn't Harry take Jane to Italy on a surprise trip in Harry's Diary, but the PM interupted? That could have been more to do with keeping the peace and the marriage together, rather than him being romantic though.

Poll: Is Harry the best character on Spooks? This poll is closed.
Hell yes, he's the lynchpin of the show. But Ruth's pretty awesome too.	46	80.70%
God no. I barrack for that man who came back from Russia and got it on with Miss C.I.A. Lucas something?	11	19.30%
Total	57 votes	100%